Fort Asthern
Fort Asthern was a Poncoan military outpost and prison located on Asthern Island, the central island of the Isles of the Three Sister's, positioned southeast of Heedhurst and southwest of Victoria and Ponco off the coast of Magella. The fort complex resided east of the village of Noruna, on the island's eastern coast. It was initially, when it was constructed, in MA 1016, one of Ponco's central intelligence centers and prisons. It's importance was short-lived, however, when it was majorly dismantled and defunded in MA 1040 following the Battle of Noruna. History Forst Asthern was the result of many conservative policies during the reign of King Sathin Ponco. Rampant unrest in border cities, such as Heedhurst, due to the Kingdom Resources Act of MA 1008 prompted an exponential increase in pirate activity throughout Ponco. King Sathin Ponco, not wanting to blame this trend on his unpopular Act, decided to begin a campaign against piracy, strengthening his borders with numerous forts and increading military presence. Many of these forts, rather than protecting against piracy, ultimately oppressed local populations and increased Ponco's claim on scarce economic resources. (Fort Asthern siphoned resources from Noruna and the soldiers stationed there constantly persecuted the village's population). Fort Asthern was one of the first new military complexes, constructed in MA 1016. It's location, on Asthern Island, near three major Poncoan ports (Lower Ponco, Victoria, and Heedhurst), made it an important economic and military checkpoint. It also very quickly became the second largest prison in Ponco, after Foundling Prison in Ponco City, hosting a number of individuals convicted of piracy. It is here that, in 1022, Lain Gadling, the mother of future Poncoan general Xander Gadling, was incarecerated on charges of aiding her husband in acts of piracy. After learning his mother's whereabouts, Xander Gadling traveled to Noruna and tried petitioning the new king, the son of Sathin Ponco, Roland, to end cruel treatment of prisoners at Fort Asthern. Roland, a much more moderate ruler than his father, eventually closed many of the border forts, including Fort Heedhurst in 1030. He was conviced, however, by important military officials, that Fort Asthern should not be closed due to its central importance to Ponco. These officials were only acting in their own interests, as they were ironically involved with, among other things, piracy at Fort Asthern. Fort Asthern became Ponco's most active pirate haven until 1040, following the Battle of Asthern, when Roland Ponco defunded the fort and demoted its commanding officers, including Ponco's highest ranked general. The Battle of Asthern was a small skirmish, in 1040, between the citizens of Noruna, led by Xander Gadling, and the soldiers of the fort. The soldiers initiated the battle, claiming that the people of Noruna, because of Gadling's criticism of military operations there, were traitors under Poncoan law. Just days before the battle Luna Rydell, the romantic partner and associate of Xander Gadling, was assassinated in Noruna. Gadling claimed this was a result of military interlopers from Fort Asthern and wrote a long letter to Ponco about the war crimes of Asthern's Commanding officers. As he lamented Rydell's death, soldiers, without the authorization of Roland Ponco, marched into Noruna, initiating the battle. Gadling proved to be a great tactician and leader, helping the small village of Noruna successfully defend itself against the invasion. After hearing accounts of the unauthorized battle, and receiving Xander Gadling's letter, King Roland Ponco immediately defunded the fort and moved the majority of its operations into Ponco itself. He also commended Gadling and approved his request of releasing Lain Gadling from Fort Asthern. He also, along with her, released many of the other prisoners at the forst serving for piracy. The rest, mostly violent offenders, were transferred to Foundling Prison and Fort Ponco. This essentially ended the era of Ponco's anti-piracy policies. The fort was bequethed, as a gift from Ponco, to the people of Noruna. They converted the structure into a trading post where they sold and exported the natural goods available on the island and the crafts and tools the citizens made to, mostly, Ponco City and travelers from other continents journeying to Ponco. The fort also retained some military functions, though the soldiers there were mainly stationed to protect Noruna's traders. This arrangement assured Noruna's economic prosperity.